Abstract:
The Dutch Reformed Church (Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk) is in transition because
of the influences of the more recent South African epochs of democratisation, Africanisation
and globalisation. The histories of these epochs extend over more than 20 years and have
had a significant influence on the church. The Dutch Reformed (DR) Church changed
institutionally because its place and influence within society changed considerably as a
result of political and social transformation since 1994. The ongoing process of
Africanisation that accompanies these transformations brings certain reactions to the
bosom of the church via the experiences of its members. Most are Afrikaners being more
inclined to westernised social frames of reference. Ironically, these people are more
susceptible to the effects of globalisation, especially secularisation, which transposes the
religious set-up of the DR Church into an open and individuated system. These
developments pose major challenges to the DR Church in the sense that it has to reconsider
how it approaches society, what it can contribute to the ecumenical church, why it is
necessary to reflect on its denominational identity and what its academic, theological
endeavours in these regards entail.
INTRADISCIPLINARY AND/OR INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : This article has an interdisciplinary
scope because the multiplicity of the present-day calls for interdisciplinary academic reflection.
For the purpose of this article, Church Historiography helps to systemise recent ecclesiastical
developments within the DR Church. To clarify the influences of these developments on the
DR Church, sociological premises are incorporated to describe them within a broader social
context. References to the conducted empirical study serve to explain respondents’ (members
of the DR Church) social and religious constructs regarding these ecclesiastical and sociological
phenomena.
